Trial by Fire
by lullabydono
Summary: The Hufflepuff in question was probably the most hated girl in Hogwarts thanks to her family history and with the looming tension of the war she pretty much made herself enemy simply by existing. Emily Carter was doomed from day one.
1. chapter 1

Remus wasn't sure what he expected as he walked through the Halls late that night but he sure wasn't expecting to see a small wee lass pressed up into an Alcove at 1 a.m. in the morning. Upon closer inspection he saw it was Emily Carter. This 6 year girl was so small she could have been mistaken for a second year which is what he originally thought.

The Hufflepuff in question was probably the most hated girl in Hogwarts thanks to her family history and with the looming tension of the war she pretty much made herself enemy simply by existing.

Everyone was surprised when a Carter was sorted into Hufflepuff. Remus, a year older, could remember the terror in the girl and the absolute hatred that followed her to the normally happy table, and it seemed to follower her everywhere. It didn't escape his notice that the Slytherins took swift action to punish her for shaming their families. The other houses hadn't been much better. Instead of stopping the Slytherins like they would have normally done, the other three houses almost seemed to encourage it.

It was common knowledge that you could pretty much do whatever you wanted to the girl and to her credit she never spoke out to a teacher, he wasn't so sure they would have helped her out either way, and never complained. She took whatever was dished out to her and then smiled afterwards.

Remus never bullied the girl, and while he certainly didn't like her family, he could find no ill will towards the girl so for the most part he left her alone. Which is exactly what he was going to do tonight until he noticed the blood.

Or rather he smelt it, being a werewolf did have its perks and superior senses were one of them.

His head snapped to the girl who could have been asleep, an arm hung limply at her side and the other across her stomach. Remus could see in the dim light the bright red stain forming under her hand. A closer inspection revealed the purple bruise forming under three perfect scratches on her face, a busted lip and 5 neat finger prints on her neck.

He felt a chill run through him, he knew she was bullied but wondered when it escalated to physical violence. It also made him wonder what he couldn't see.

He took several steps in her direction, fully aware that he wouldn't be able to sleep soundly of he didn't at least check on the girl.

If he hadn't been already watching her he would have missed her whole body seized up at his approach. "please." her voice cracked, sounding so weak and small in that moment he felt a pang of pity for the tiny girl. "please don't hurt me, I …. CANT…."

"I am not going to hurt you." he said appalled at the suggestion.

She cracked her eyes open and squinted, trying to see his face in the poor light. He stepped closer so she could see him better. "Remus? What are you doing out at this hour?" she asked in a whisper and a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?" he asked right to the point.

She hesitated before plastering that small sad smile she always had, it looked even more pathetic now. "yeah of course."

"you're covered in blood." he called her out on the obvious lie.

She cracked a sarcastic grin, almost chuckling at some private joke before asking "where?"

"everywhere." he replied dryly.

"she scoffed again before shrugging with only one shoulder. He noted that she had yet to move from her position on the floor.

"why are you out after hours, bleeding in the corridor?" he asked, it was a reasonable question he thought. He was a prefect after all.

She frowned, her sarcastic expression gone and replaced with one of trepidation. "Are you going to give me detention?"

"I should, you are out after hours." he said but he really didn't want to the girl detention, he wanted to know why she choose to go here rather than the infirmary.

"Well you're not wrong." she sighed.

It was catching as Remus sighed too, "look, let me take you to Poppy so you can get healed up and not get into trouble." he looked around for her bag but couldn't find it.

"Naw, it's alright Remus. I'll be fine, besides I don't think madam Pomfrey will do anything anyway. I'll be fine, really, it's not the first time I have spent the night in the corridor. Honestly."

The trace of panic was not lost on him, his frown deepened. He didn't like the idea of her staying in the corridor, 'why didn't she go back to the common room?'

Then it all clicked, the Hufflepuffs, they locked her out. That's why she didn't have her bag, they must have jumped her in their common room and threw her out for the night. Remus was appalled, he expected this form Slytherins but not from their he Hufflepuffs, especially not from her own house. She really had nowhere to go to escape the torment.

A thought occurred to him, he knew where she could go. Making his choice, "can you stand?" he asked.

She nodded skeptically and used the wall to brace herself up, wincing the whole way.

"good. Follow me I have something to show you." he said and started down the hall confident that she would follow.

Slowly they made their way to a T intersection and he told her to wait right there for him as he paced by the wall three times. She needs a place to hide, a comfortable place to be at.

Upon the third pass a door appeared, and she jumped. "what?"she began to ask.

"it is called the room of requirement. It appears when the Passer has great need of it. Whenever you get locked out of your dormitory, you can come here to stay so you won't get into trouble. I am almost certain that most people don't know about it." he explained.

"wow…. Just wow, I can't believe that this has been here this whole time." she whispered her voice cracking.

"all you have to do is pass by three times thinking about what you need and it will appear." he told her eyeing the shoulder that still hung limply at her side.

"why are you doing this? You know I can't give you anything in return." she said eyebrows furrowed together.

"just don't lie In the corridor bleeding anymore so I won't have to give you detention. That will be thanks enough."he said cheekily.

She smiled, a true smile, genuine and warm. It startled him, it transformed her face into something he wasn't expecting.

"thank you Remus." she said.

"um yeah, no problem." he turned to leave but then turned back to her. "you should get your shoulder looked at. A dislocated shoulder is no joke when you don't get it put back in right." he explained knowing first hand how painful they could be.

"oh yeah don't worry I know." she still smiled.

"okay, good. Uh… see you around." he quickly stalked off away from her but didn't leave the area until he heard the door shut. Despite helping her he still felt the uncomfortable tug of guilt that chase him all the way into his dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

**I was pleasantly surprised by the response I got from the first chapter! it was literally a trial by Fire to see if the story would be worth continuing. So far it is! so here's chapter 2.**

Emily pov.

She sagged against the wall with a deep sigh. Her whole body ached but it was the sharp pain that radiated down her arm that had her gritting her teeth. She spent most of the night after Remus left, trying to slip the joint back in but the more she tried the more she realized that is wasn't going to be that easy this time.

It wasn't her first rodeo with dislocated joints so to speak, and judging by the swelling and bruising that was turning darker by the hour, if he didn't get it back in she was going to have to go to the infirmary. Emily didn't think madam Pomfrey was so cruel to turn her away with such an injury, but she would ask questions and she hated lying to the woman.

The only blessing she had here was that it was the weekend and she had at least till tomorrow to either fix it herself or slump her way to the infirmary.

Well two blessing really, she thought thinking about Remus. The encounter the night before was highly unexpected. She fully intend to stay in the dark corridor until morning light before hiding in a broom cubby for the rest of the weekend. The room of requirement was a much better alternative. Emily swallowed the lump in her throat that was going to choke her. That was the only kind thing anyone had done for her in a very long time.

At first Emily was hesitant to remain there in the room he showed her, thinking it was a trap… that someone was going to jump her as soon as she got comfortable. While she appreciated his act of kindness she was not a fool. Remus never outright bullied, or attacked her but he didn't exactly do anything to help her either. Those were the most dangerous people she soon learned, unpredictable and could swing in either direction and lure her into a false sense of security.

"Fuck a Duck." she hissed as her arm twitched. The large Hufflepuff boy sure did a number on her, whether he meant it or not made no difference as he yanked Emily over the back of the couch. She hadn't cried in front of anyone since her first year but she certainly came close last night.

She sighed again frowning at the floor, deciding she probably should just bite the bullet and go see madam Pomfrey and get it over with. Holding her arm steady with her hand Emily slipped off to the infirmary praying to whatever god there was that she wouldn't meet anyone on the way.

Several hours later and a firm talking too she made her way back to the Hufflepuff dormitory, healed but frazzled. It was every bit as bad as she thought it was going to be. With Pomfrey's not so suddenly demands on who had done this too her and her just smiling saying she toppled down the stairway becuase she forgot about the vanishing step. Unable to get any other answer from the girl madam Pomfrey had to let her go.

Getting through the wall that hid the dorm was nearly a painless process, most of the time she never knew the password as the prefects and head boy and girl never told her the new one but lucky enough for her after 16 years the statue just accepted her own password that never changed.

"i viam inveniam" I will find a way.

The round porthole in the wall slid back and rolled to the side opening up into what should have a warm inviting place to lounge about after a long day of classes. Instead it was just another part of her hell.

Emily thought luck was on her side when she stepped through and didn't see anyone about, but the universe was just gearing up for the punchline. Her bag, which was unfortunately forgotten in the struggle from last night was now sitting in the embers of a dying fire. Her heart sank as she thought of everything that was important in the back that was hanging on by a thread.

Snatching the bag out of the fireplace burning her hands in the process, she quickly dumped out the contents. Anything paper had disintegrated into ash sending soot and ash all over her and the furniture, but she only spent a passing thought on the unfortunate state of her books and essays as her heart clenched and breath shuddered when her wand came tumbling out snapped in half and burned beyond repair.

The 11 inch, Holly wood Phoenix weather, with an amethyst stone inlay way her joy. The only good memory she had of Hogwarts. The ability to create beautiful things in a place so full of darkness and hate was the one thing that kept her coming back year after year, but now… even that once good memory was tarnished by the hate of this place.

This school had taken everything from her. Alienated her from her friends, ruined any chance of a relationship with her family, not that there was much of one to begin with, beaten and abused her in nearly every way possible and now had destroyed the last shred of happiness that was bestowed upon her by coming to this hell.

Still yet the school wasn't done with her, skipping down the steps came Molly Hartford, the bombshell model of a girl was in her year and made sure at every chance to remind Emily of how hated she really was.

"What a freaking mess you made! So selfish, just because your bag was destroyed did you find in necessary to wreak havoc on the whole common room." Molly stood above her with her hands on her hips like she was a mother scolding a small child.

In a state of numb shock, Emily reached one trembling finger forward gently picking up what remained of the handle of her wand.

"oh would you look at that," Molly said softly squatting beside her. "Your wand has been wrecked. Well if you have no wand, there is really no reason for you to stay here… in fact you probably should disappear." she whispered.

Emily stared up at her emotionally numb, but she could still feel the tears brimming over. A darkness settled in her heart.

Molly stood smiling, "I mean really if you wanted to do the world a favor, you should rid the world of one more Carter." she sauntered out laughing.

Picking up the two pieces of her wand, Emily limped out of the common room. Making her way to the room of requirement, passing in front of the wall three times

I need a place to die.


	3. Chapter 3

**chapter three. hope yall enjoy. sorry for any obvious errors and such. i type most all of it on my phone so you know auto correct and all that. I also realize that this castle layout is probably not accurate but *shrugs.* little details like that are not the point of this story.** **thank you too all who followed and reviewed. Its like Christmas everytime one pops up in my emial. anyway enjoy the chapter!**

"Remus mate, you alright?" James asked raising an eyebrow to the boy who was furiously biting at a fingernail.

"yeah man, you have been pacing the common room like an angry wolf all day now." Black couldn't help but slide in the ridiculous comparison with a devil-may-care smirk.

Remus sighed and slumped down into the nearest chair in a pathetic attempt to control his nervous energy. They weren't lying he had been wound tight all day since waking up. He didn't really have a reason for it other then something kept nagging his brain, all his wolfy senses were tingling, that something wasn't quite right.

"I don't know man, something about last night just isn't sitting right with me. BAH! It's just got be getting close to that time of the month." he rubbed his hands over his face trying to dispel some of his tension.

"speaking of, what did happen last night, you got back and went straight to be without a so much as by you leave. That's not like you." Black was never subtle and got right to the point.

Remus frowned, " I ran into Carter in the corridor."

"did she attack you?" James jumped to conclusions as usual. Sirius sat up looking alarmed.

Remus snorted, "please have more faith in my abilities than that." he frowned at the floor at the thought. "although, when has Carter ever attacked anyone?" he left the question hang in the air, the two other boys glanced at each other not really knowing where this was going. "or even spoke badly about anyone for that matter."

"what's your point mate?" sirius asked.

"I am not sure myself. I just can't figure out what she could have done to end up in the corridor so late at night covered in blood." Remus scowled.

There was a silence that sank deep into their skin, before it was broken. "What does it matter? She's a Carter I am sure there is something she did to deserve it." sirius said convinced to his bones of this fact.

"Maybe, something about the whole thing just doesn't sit right with me." Remus confessed.

"You're just too good natured for your own good mate." James laughed trying to ease some of the dark cloud that was sitting around them.

" hardy har har, I am going to go for a walk." Remus stood popping out his back as he stretched.

"I'll go with ya, wanna get some snacks from the kitchen anyhow. James?" sirius asked.

"Naw I'll wait for Peter. Should be getting back from detention at anytime now."

"alright." Remus said stepping out, Black not far behind.

They walked in silence for a while before sirius asked, "Are you sure you are alright mate?"

"yeah, it just bothers me." Remus said scratching at the back of his head.

"why does this girl bother you so much I mean good lord, you know what her family is like. Pure blood elites to the extreme."

"yeah I get that… it's just…" he paused trying to find the words. "what if we are damning her. I find it hard to believe that she has ever actually done anything to deserve a broken shoulder. I mean how would it feel if you had to pay for what your family did?"

Sirius's face darken, "I did."

"So wouldn't it bother you if something like that was happening to another student?" Remus asked pointedly. If anyone would empathize it would be him.

Sirius stared at the floor as they walked, never really giving Carter's situation much thought. Too worried about the next essay or the next game to worry too much about one Hufflepuff that clearly never called out for help.

Eventually they came up to a T intersection, turning right to the kitchens when Remus stopped dead in his tracks.

"what is it moony?" sirius asked startled out of his reprieve.

Remus didn't know. He could smell it though, it was...blood. it was strong under his nose he looked down at his feet just to make sure he wasn't standing in a puddle of it. He slapped a hand over his nose to stifle the smell, it didn't do much.

"moony?" sirius asked now more concerned. Whatever startled the werewolf was not to be ignored.

Remus was surprised that even with his duller senses that sirius couldn't smell it there was so much of it. "Blood padfoot, it's so strong." he gagged as the taste entered his mouth.

"What? But where is it" sirius asked looking all around but not seeing any of the crimson liquid that his friend could clearly smell.

Remus looked around frantically trying to figure out where they were, when he noted the curiously blank wall, in a castle filled to the brim with portions, it was a dead give away.

The room of requirement… oh god. In a flash his mind's eye pulled up the small sad smile of the Hufflepuff girl from the night before. "merlin's beard… no." he whispered.

Fearing the worse, that someone who hated her (pretty much anyone at that point.) Found her after he left last night and hurt her even worse had him pacing in front of the wall as fast as he could.

"Moony, what is going on?" sirius asked seriously confused and concerned.

"Carter, last night I put her up in the room of requirement since she was locked out of her dorm. The smell is coming from in there." he scrambled to explain as he dashed the last walk by.

Sirius's face paled and slid out his wand ready for the worse.

By the time the door finally formed, the worst was playing through both of their heads. Neither of them actually wished any real harm on the girl no matter who her family was. Breathing heavily they shoved through the doors wands at the ready, the sight that greeted them was worse than any muggle horror movie either of them had ever seen.

The floor, the walls, even part of the ceiling was dripping in blood. Remus slammed a hand over his nose and mouth. The smell was almost overwhelming.

At the center of it all was Emily Carter, laying on her side with cuts all over her arms and legs. The most damaging ones however were the two perfect slits that ran from the crook of her elbows to the palms of her hands.

Sirius came to his senses first and pretty much baseball slid on his knees to the side of the girl who was much paler than what was deemed healthy. There is no way a person can lose this much blood and live. He put a shaking hand to her neck and counted to 10.

He sucked in air, there is was a pulse. Weak, but it was there. "Remus, Dittany we need some Dittany!" he shouted over to the boy who was still coming to grips with the overwhelming smell of so much blood. Finally finding his feet, he ran to some cabinets that lined one of the four walls.

Digging through them at a frantic pace, he was just barely reading the labels before throwing them aside. Poison, goats blood, poison, poison, knife cleaning…

"Remus!" sirius called out.

"I am looking, I am looking.!" Remus called back just as panicked. Newts tail… Beatles...ah! "Thank god." he exclaimed and all but flew across the gap handing the tiny vial to padfoot.

Sirius uncorked the bottle and poured half of it on one arm and the other on her other arm watching with baited breath as the two biggest cuts healed shut.

Remus didn't dare breathe yet, he pressed his ear against her chest, listening as her heart grew stronger with every beat. Taking his first deep breath in what felt like hours, he couldn't even be disgusted by the copper smell and relief flood his system.

Leaning back on his heels sirius started shaking as the adrenaline wore off. "Remus…. Moony what the hell man?"

"I don't know, I don't know." all he could do was shake his head.

A groan and a whimper had both boys locking their gazes to the girl who laid between them. Emily's eyes cracked open, weak but conscience.

"Emily, you are alright you're safe." Remus whispered.

She furrowed her eyebrows together confused. "what…"

Sirius kept his volume low but his tone was dark, "Emily who did this?"

Emily looked around confused before tears started to pick at her eyes. Remus was convinced they were tears of relief but what came out of her mouth had both of their jaws nearly hitting the floor.

Bearly in an audible whisper she asked "why am i still here?"


End file.
